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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Payday loan: A short term unsecured loan intended to cover the borrower’s expenses until they receive their next paycheck.

Payday loans have proven a popular way to borrow money for some time now, and not only amongst the employed, but also amongst senior citizens. Although payday loans have proven popular, seniors are still advised to exercise caution when applying for a short term unsecured loan because some providers offer interest rates that aren’t as competitive as others. Therefore, seniors need to be aware that there’s often a substantial difference between the offerings of one payday loan provider and the offerings of another.

Perhaps the best advice that can be given to seniors interested in payday loans is to shop around. There are numerous providers of these financial products and some are simply a much better choice than others because they offer better interest rates, they make it plain how much the borrower must repay and they also make their terms and conditions clear right from the start. Moreover, seniors are also encouraged to ask themselves if they really need a payday loan and whether they’re sure they’re comfortably able to make repayments.

Provided seniors need to apply for a short term unsecured loan and they can comfortably afford to make repayments, they should take the following advice into account when sourcing payday loan providers.

1. Know the risks

Before seniors apply for payday loans, in fact before they even begin sourcing short term unsecured loans, they’re encouraged to familiarise themselves with the risks involved. Provided that they are able to meet their loan repayment commitments they won’t encounter any problems, though should they find themselves unable to meet their repayment commitments they could find themselves in hot water. Therefore seniors need to make sure that they can afford to make repayments comfortably before applying, and if necessary, discuss their situation with someone who has a good understanding of the process involved.

2. Shop around

As was mentioned earlier, it is imperative that seniors shop around for a competitive provider of payday loans because some providers are much more competitive than others, so seniors stand to pay back substantially more if they’re not selective regarding the payday loan providers they apply for loans to. There’s more to a competitive loan than just the APR, though that is inherently important, so also take note of the fine print and terms and conditions of the loan, and also check online for negative reports about a provider before applying since providers that attract negative publicity should naturally be avoided.

3. Source a competitive APR

The APR (Annual Percentage Rate) tells borrowers the cost of a short term unsecured loan with regard to how much they need make in repayments, though as discussed above, seniors still need to take into account other factors when applying for a loan. If they have a good credit rating this could help them to procure a more competitive interest rate, though they must also bear in mind that if they encounter problems making repayments this will affect their credit rating adversely and may make borrowing in the future problematic.

4. Check the small print

Failing to check the small print is where many seniors experience problems after successfully applying for payday loans, though it shouldn’t because good loan providers make available all the information seniors require when applying for payday loans online. Seniors need to familiarise themselves with, amongst other considerations, the implications of non-payment to their credit provider and the disclosure of fees, including the APR (interest rate).

5. Don’t apply for more than one loan

Seniors also need to bear in mind that applying for more than one short term loan at a time can also prove problematic, and that they should never apply for another unsecured loan in order to meet their outstanding loan commitments. Too many people, and not only senior citizens, have landed themselves in hot water by applying for a second loan to repay the first, so avoid applying for another payday loan until the first has been repaid.

Provided that seniors take these five tips into account, they’ll find that payday loans are a competitive means of procuring quick cash when needed.

Disclaimer

The information provided on this site is not financial advice, and I am not a financial professional. This is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or trade securities, or to invest in any specific product. I can buy, sell, or hold any positions mentioned on this website at anytime. The content on this website is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only, and is not to be used for financial advice. Under no circumstances should you use information found on this website to replace financial, investment or tax advice from professionals. You should seek the advice of a professional for serious finance related issues. Thanks for visiting!